The Art Nouveau Movement
by Yasmine Saidou, BK8VK5WM8
The Art Nouveau Movement is known to have started during the mid-to-late 19th century in the United States and Great Britain (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018). It can be said that Art Nouveau, like the Arts and Crafts Movement, was a reaction against "the cluttered designs and compositions of Victorian-era decorative art" and the practitioners of Art Nouveau wanted to bring back craftsmanship and elements of nature (Wolf, 2018).
The style of Art Nouveau was greatly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, which incorporated organic yet asymmetrical line work, floral motifs, bulbous and "whiplash" shapes. (Wolf, 2018). This resulted in delicate and ornamental designs that seemed to embody a sort of rhythmic movement.
Art Nouveau has roots in the early decorative "Baroque" and "Rococo" styles, where use of colour and stylised elements of nature were the distinguishing factors. It was through the development of an obsession with natural beauty that Art Nouveau artists began to explore the female form, often depicted in a majestic and subtly erotic manner (Piriyasoranat, n.d.). A well known artist who did this was the English illustrator Audrey Beardsley.
Casa Calvet Flower Bench by Antoni Gaudi. Author: Sharon Hahn Darlin (The Vintage News, 2017)
The above picture is a classic example of the ornamental style of Art Nouveau. The design incorporates floral shapes and asymmetrical lines. The arms of the bench are ornamental because of the decorative shape in which they were crafted. The exposure of the wood adds a natural element, which ties in with the theme of drawing inspiration from nature. The floral decorations of the back rest are simple yet are effective enough to give the overall design a harmonious feel.
The individual components of the bench would have been hand crafted and assembled together, giving the maker the fulfilling sense of craftsmanship.
Garden Bench http://art-nouveau-style.blogspot.com/ (Piriyasoranant, n.d.)
The above image is an of a contemporary example of an Art Nouveau style bench. The design of this bench resonates with the movement's distinguishing features, such as asymmetrical line work, floral motifs in the shapes and simple yet decorative ornamentation. There are intricate patterns within the arms of the bench that appear to embody a rhythmic flow.
The designer of this bench drew inspiration from the Art Nouveau style in order to create a decorative yet functional piece of furniture that does not take away from its surroundings, but rather emphasises the beauty in nature. It is clear to say that the aim of this design was to inculcate a sense of appreciation for natural beauty.
Sources
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2018). Art Nouveau | artistic style. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/art/Art-Nouveau [Accessed 14 Aug. 2018].
Piriyasoranant, P. (n.d.). Art Nouveau Style. [online] Art-nouveau-style.blogspot.com. Available at: http://art-nouveau-style.blogspot.com/ [Accessed 14 Aug. 2018].
Piriyasoranant, P. (n.d.). Garden Bench. [image] Available at: http://art-nouveau-style.blogspot.com/ [Accessed 14 Aug. 2018].
The Vintage News (2017). Casa Calvet Flower Bench by Antoni Gaudi. Author: Sharon Hahn Darlin. [image] Available at: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/06/17/beautiful-examples-of-art-nouveau-furniture-a-radical-design-change-in-its-time/ [Accessed 14 Aug. 2018].
Wolf, J. (2018). Art Nouveau Movement, Artists and Major Works. [online] The Art Story. Available at: https://www.theartstory.org/movement-art-nouveau.htm [Accessed 14 Aug. 2018].
